Termini: FL: State line near
Jennings to Jct US 1 in Miami or Jct FL A1A (by
sigange) in Miami Beach
US: Copper Harbor, MI to Miami Beach

Years: 1926 / present

Route: US 41 is a
two-lane highway from the Georgia state line to Lutz,
with short four lane section around Lake City. A four
lane highway mostly with a median, reaches south from
there, providing intercity between the communities of
Palmetto, Bradenton, Sarasota, Venice, South Venice,
North Port, Port Charlotte, Punta Gorda, Fort Myers, San
Carlos Park, and Naples before becoming a two lane
highway agian at Belle Meade at FL 951. US 41 crosses the
Everglades, then regains its four lane status at FL 997.
From there it connects the growing communites of
Sweetwater, Coral Gables to Miami. US 41 crosses over to
Miami Beach, where it ends at FL A1A, or maybe not.

Co-signed with: US 129 in
Jasper,
Truck US 441 in Lake City, US 41 / 441 Lake City to High Springs, US 27 High
Springs to Williston, FL 40 Rainbow Springs to Dunnellon, US 92 in Tampa, US 301 Palmetto
to Bradenton,
US 1 in Miami, FL A1A Miami to Miami Beach

Drive: US 41 never is
on the same pavement as I-75, but the two roads are
closely connected. I-75 stays within 27 miles of US-41
throughout Florida. The southern terminus of I-75 is only
14 miles from US 41. Through traffic on US 41 has been
reduced to a trickle of its former volume, but US 41
still has heavy traffic in urbanized areas in its new
primary use as an alternate route to I-75. The
inter-urban sections are dotted by motels and old tourist
traps. The old orange "I Survived US 41" bumper
stickers from the late 1970's are a quickly fading memory
on the old Tamiami Trail, which is still in common use
term for US 41 from Tampa to Miami, featured below the
route number as seen below, often along business routes
as well. US 41 changes bannered direction in the Miami
area, where it retains US 94's east / west desigantion.

Drive: This alternate
of US 41 was meant as a bypass of construction, and was
signed entirely on six lane county highways. The only
orange used on the signs was the orange "ALT"
banner. I have seen signs on an AAA Florida map that this
route may have been used before in the 1970's as Temp US
41.

Route: May have
originally been signed and referred to as Alt US 41 (for
one year or so). Bus US 41 is in Tampa, going down
Florida Avenue (with a one-way pair south of Violet St.
on Tampa Ave.), up Kennedy / 13th St N / Adamo Dr (FL 60)
over to the 21st Street / 22nd Street one way pair. Bus
41 heads south as they join, croiing the 22nd St Causeway
to Causeway Blvd. Bus 41 begins and ends at junctions
with US 41.

Drive: Weaves through
downtown Tampa, it is hard to believe it was part of a
route that rated a US number of its own in 1932. To drive
the original US 541 route, you have to drive northbound
as much of it is a now a one-way pair. Unlike most
Business US routes, this was never the route of US 41
into town. Along Ybor channel, the route's bannered
direction is opposite of the travelled direction.

Route: Down 8th Avenue
West in Palmetto from an intersection with US 41, across
the Green Bridge, then over to 14th Street In Bradenton,
terminating at US 41 on Cortez road.

County: Manatee

"Hidden"
state number: FL 45

Co-signed with: None

Route: Bradenton has no
great love for this route, and will probably seek to have
it decomissioned soon to allow for placing 'traffic
calming' features like roundabouts and making the area
'pedestrian friendly'. The people who use the route as a
shortcut around other congestion will go back to the
packs. To my thinking, you still need to provide for the
cars and the drive-by traffic is important.

Route: The old
alignment of the Tamiami Trail that passed though Venice,
still labeled Tamiami Trail, beginning and ending at
junctions with US 41.

County: Sarasota

"Hidden"
state number: FL 45

Co-signed with: None

Drive: The route is
being improved to four lanes, which will require widening
bridges on both ends of Bus US 41. Mainline US 41 in this
area is referred to informally as "Venice
Bypass." Signing the mainline as Bypass US 41 would
probably not confuse the locals at all.

Drive: North of the
Peace River, the road is mostly wide and straight, there
is plenty of right of way. The formerly congested
business district of North Fort Myers was drastically
affected by the Bus US 41 widening, and is no long
congested with twice the road and half the buildings.

Route: The original
assigned numbering of the Tamiami Trail between Naples
and Miami, followed current US 41. Color hypothetical, US
94 was decommissioned before the coloring of US signs by
Florida in 1956. Began at the end of US 41 in Naples, and
ended at an intersection with US 1 in Miami.

Counties: Collier, Dade

"Hidden"
state number: FL 90

Co-signed with: None

Drive: See US 41 for
this drive. Historically this route was mostly a muddy
track when first assigned in 1926. Almost the entire
route was built with fill dirt from canals dug (or
blasted) alongside it. The route was officially opened in
1928 with much fanfare.

Route: The original US
numbering of what was to become Business US 41 in Tampa
and the road that was to become US 41 south to Palmetto.
Began and ended at junctions with US 41. Color
hypothetical, US 541 decommissioned before the coloring
of US signs by Florida in 1956.

From Burgert Bros. collection,
Courtesy Tampa-Hillsborough County Library System. 1937
photograph of the intersection of Lafayette St (now Kennedy / FL
60) and Florida Ave in downtown Tampa in front of Smith &
Porton Gulf. Other signs on the post point to "Davis Island
Airport" and "Tampa Municipal Airport". This gas
station location is now a parking lot across the street from
Tampa City Hall.
The parent photograph of the above shield: http://zerver.thpl.lib.fl.us/archive04/9685.jpg
A daylight view of the station: http://zerver.thpl.lib.fl.us/archive02/10508.jpg

Route: This alternate
route avoided the congestion of Downtown Tampa and Ybor
City, utilizing the old route of US 92 and US 41,
Broadway Ave. The route then went down the improved
section of Bayshore to return to US 541 to 'Rockport', an
area named for its Phosphate loading docks. Alt 541 began
and ended at junctions with US 541. Color of sign
hypothetical, Alt US 541 decommissioned before the
coloring of US signs by Florida in 1956.

Route: This Optional
route utilized the newly constructed 22nd St Causeway.
The entire route became mainline US 541. Like Alt US 541,
it terminated at 'Rockport'. Opt 541 began and ended at
junctions with US 541. Color of sign hypothetical, Opt US
541 decommissioned before the coloring of US signs by
Florida in 1956. This was one of the first 'banner'
routes in Florida.

County: Hillsborough

"Hidden" state
numbers: This is now FL 45

Was co-signed with:
uncertain

Drive: This route is
now part of Bus US 41, and may not have been signed in
the field.